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The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith and hoping (i.e. with anticipation) for its reward shall have all of his previous sins forgiven for him.”

[Sahih Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Commentary:

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) saying: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with faith” meaning whoever establishes their fast upon true eemaan (belief and faith), which will therefore entail your fast being performed sincerely and purely for the sake of Allah.

The scholars (may Allah have mercy upon them) have said that ‘ih’tesaban’ (anticipation) is: the initiative to seek reward and obtain it using different types of good actions, and doing them in the required manner in order to seek their reward.

In other words, anticipation is an intention to gain the fruits that are promised for a certain good deed, and this – naturally – is an action of the heart not the tongue, that leads the self to be keen, the heart to look forward to, and determination to seek the great rewards behind this good deed.

In conclusion, whoever fasts the month of Ramadan with the above two qualities will as the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “shall have all of his previous sins forgiven for him.”

We ask Allah to make us from those who establish their fasting of Ramadan based on true eemaan and hoping for its reward so we can be from those who have their previous sins forgiven.

I just read this news at MuslimMatters yesterday and the news shocked me! I did not know that the government of China went this far to subjugate the muslim minority in Uighur. They went so far that they even force the muslims not to practice their deen anymore. The Uighur muslims were forced to eat during the day of Ramadhan or they could lose their annual bonus, or even their job. SubhanAllah, I don’t think this news has not reached the main strem media yet but it seems that it is not being highlighted. We need to be aware of this and spread this news to all muslims all around the world! Something needs to be done for our brothers and sisters there!

Muslim nations should take drastic actions towards China and condemn them for this inhumane acts. This definitely is against human rights! They should have freedom to practice their religion as the other chinese has the freedom to practice communism, christianity, buddhism etc! May Allah helps our brother and sisters there and strengthen them so that they will be persistent in practicing their deen. May Allah bestows upon muslims all around the world with victory against the oppressors, ameen.

Have you heard the news? Our brothers and sisters in Africa is suffering from drought and they are right now in dire need of food, clean water, clothes, shelter and medicine. Ramadhan is drawing near and things are going to be really tough on them if this state of the condition persist. This is our golden opportunity to contribute and help our brothers and sisters there.

The money that we earn or get is an amanaah from Allah. Islam never asked us to donate all of our wealth. Give as much as we think we can give sincerely. If you look at the Ummah Welfare Trust website, with only £1 you will be able to feed one individual three meals a day for five days or a whole family for one day! SubhanAllah. Do you think that is too much to give?

So lets do this brothers and sisters. There are a lot of virtues mentioned in the Qur’an and hadith about giving charity such as:

“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allaah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allaah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allaah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower. Those who spend their wealth in the Cause of Allaah, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [al-Baqarah 2:261-262]

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives charity equal to a date from good (halal) earnings – for Allaah does not accept anything but that which is good – Allaah will take it in His right hand and tend it for the one who gave it as any one of you tends his foal, until it becomes like a mountain.” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1344; Muslim, 1014]

Believe me, Allah will never make us poorer when we give in charity. In fact He will put barakah in the money that we earn and will increase our wealth in this life and most importantly, He will increase our good deeds which will become VERY ‘handy’ for us in the Day of Judgement later. We have nothing to lose but everything to gain! Let’s take this opportunity to purify our wealth and purify our hearts from stinginess. May Allah makes our intention to do good for Him and Him only and may He accepts our deeds, ameen.

Alhamdulillah, Ramadhan is drawing near and we ask Allah to lengthen our life so that we will be able to reach Ramadhan and benefit the most from this blessed month. Today’s halaqah is dedicated for Ramadhan for we will be entering Ramadhan in just a week or so. So the discussion today revolves around how we should prepare ourselves to grab the most from this month and what we should strive for so that this coming Ramadhan will be the best Ramadhan in our life and will make the changes that we have been longing for in our entire life, inshaAllah.

Ramadhan is one of the most special month in Islam. It is the month where the Qur’an was revealed and it is the month where Allah will multiply the rewards for every good deeds that we do. This is also the month where there’s a night that is better than a thousand months called laylatul qadr. This is the month of opportunity and when we come to think of how many people this year has passed away not knowing that the past Ramadhan was their last Ramadhan, we should realize how important it is for us to make full use of this upcoming Ramadhan by filling our time in this blessed month with good acts. We have to treat this coming Ramadhan as our last!

In this month, the only thing that will stop us is ourselves. We need to strive to get rid of our old bad habits and train ourselves to be proactive and productive. If we look back at our glorious history, how many great achievements the muslims had accomplished during the month of Ramadhan? The Battle of Badr, the conquest of Andalus and the conquest of Jerusalem (by Salahuddeen al-Ayyubi), all happened during the month of Ramadhan! Thus, we need to work hard and not using fast as an excuse for us to get lazy! And to achieve this, we need to prepare for Ramadhan, physically, mentally and spiritually. It’s like attaining khusyu’ in prayer, one needs to be in constant khusyu’ throughout his day in order to be khusyu’ in prayer. It’s not a ‘plug and play’ thing! It requires training and effort!

Imam al-Ghazali has stated that fasting is of 3 types:

1- Fasting of the masses- only fast from food, water and relationship with spouses but still get involve in haraam transaction, haraam business, backbiting etc.
2- Fasting of the righteous- not only fast from food, water and relationship with spouses but also restrain self from getting involve in haraam acts.
3- Fasting of the elite- the heart is also fasting by staying connected to Allah along with the fast from food, water, etc.

For this coming Ramadhan, let’s make our intention to achieve the fast of the elite as mentioned by Imam al-Ghazali. We should make our goal for this Ramadhan to work on our heart. One of the best way to check on our heart is to record our thoughts on a piece of paper. Any thoughts which includes anger, jealousy, insincerity etc should be recorded so that we can evaluate ourselves. This way we can see how often our hearts get astray from remembering Allah. By doing this, inshaAllah, we will be more aware and conscious of our thoughts thus, making it possible for us to make the appropriate corrections to correct our hearts and clean it. It is also beneficial for us to balance our deeds with hope and fear. Hope that Allah will accepts our deeds and fear from having any insincerity in performing the deeds. We need to constantly question our intentions so that we will attain the sincerity.

Blacken hearts will not be able to ‘see’ the signs of Allah just as the blind eyes cannot see the beauty of a flower. Therefore we need to evaluate ourselves and take the opportunity of the blessed month of Ramadhan to make the corrections within our hearts. It was mentioned in the halaqah that if you want to know how clean your heart is, try to contemplate on the things that you see around yourself. Do you just look at it without any feelings or you glorify Allah out of awe and amazement? Because this world, in of itself, has signs of Allah ‘written’ all over it. May Allah makes our intentions sincere for Him and Him only. May Allah accepts all of our deeds and may He makes it easy for us to make the changes that we have set for ourselves so that we will become a better muslims, ameen.

Yesterday, during Jumu’ah prayer, the khateeb delivered a khutbah on the importance of the month Sha’ban to muslims. As mentioned by the khateeb, many muslims are heedless of the importance of this month. Sha’ban is a month that is in between two special months in Islamic calendar, the haraam month, Rajaab, and the holy month Ramadhan.

Sha’ban is the month for us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Ramadhan. It was narrated by Muslim (1156) that Abu Salamah said: “I asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) about the fasting of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and she said: ‘He used to fast until we thought that he would always fast, then he would not fast until we thought that he would always not fast, but I never saw him fast in any month more than he fasted in Sha’baan. He used to fast all of Sha’baan, and he used to fast all of Sha’baan apart from a few days.’” So it is a very recommended act that muslims should strive to perform during this month.

However, for those who are not used to fast in the month of Sha’ban, it is not permissible for him/her to fast on the second half of the month of Sha’ban except for making up the missed Ramadhan fasts or fulfilling one’s oath. Why did the Prophet SAW fast most of the days of Sha’ban? It was said that the the reason the Prophet SAW fasted most of the days of Sha’ban is to prepare himself before entering Ramadhan. Fasting is not only for the benefit of the body, but also for the benefit of our souls and minds. So that when Ramadhan arrives, we will be fully prepared to welcome its coming and strive our best to make full use of the blessings that Allah bestows in this month.

Though, we should be aware also that there are a lot of hadeeth that mentions about the virtues and merits of certain ‘ibadah in the month of Sha’ban. A number of scholars ruled that the reports concerning that were false, such as Ibn al-Jawzi in his book al-Mawdoo’aat, 2/440-445; Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah in al-Manaar al-Muneef, no. 174- 177; Abu Shaamah al-Shaafa’i in al-Baa’ith ‘ala Inkaar al-Bida’ wa’l-Hawaadith, 124-137; al-‘Iraaqi in Takhreej Ihyaa’ ‘Uloom il-Deen, no. 582. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] narrated that there was consensus on the fact that they are false, in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 28/138.

Celebrating the night of the fifteenth of Sha’ban (Laylat al-Nusf min Sha’ban) by praying etc, or singling out this day for fasting, is a reprehensible bid’ah (innovation) according to the majority of scholars, and there is no basis for this in shari’ah. (excerpt from here)

Now we are already in the second half of the month of Sha’ban. Thus, we should get ready for the upcoming month of Ramadhan. For us who did not fast in this month, we should make our best effort to prepare ourselves before entering the holy month of Ramadhan. Let us all hasten to repent for all sins and mistakes that we commit daily and ask Allah for His forgiveness so that we will enter the month of Ramadhan clean from filth of sins. May Allah blesses us with long life so that we will be able to meet Ramadhan and may He forgives us all of our sins. May Allah helps us also to benefit the month of Ramadhan to the fullest and permits us to His Jannatul Firdaus, ameen.

Today I’m gonna share with you guys some important notes that I have benefited from the MSA weekly halaqah on the Tafseer of Qur’an. Today we discussed about Surah Kahf. As most of you guys might have already know, it is a sunnah that is highly recommended by the Prophet SAW to read Surah al-Kahf every Friday. Below are some of the virtues of reciting Surah al-Kahf (excerpt from here):

(a) From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, who said: “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the night of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (the Ka’bah).”

(Narrated by al-Daarimi, 3407. This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6471)

(b) “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.”

(Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. Ibn Hajar said in Takhreej al-Adhkaar that this is a hasan hadeeth, and he said, this is the strongest report that has been narrated concerning reading Surah al-Kahf. See: Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470)

(c) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’”

Al-Mundhiri said, this was narrated by Abu Bakr ibn Mardawayh in his Tafseer, with an isnaad with which there was nothing wrong.

(al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/298)

The surah may be read during the night or the day of Jumu’ah. The night of Jumu’ah starts from sunset on Thursday, and the day of Jumu’ah ends at sunset. Therefore the time for reading this surah extends from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Friday.

Al-Mannaawi said:

Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in his Amaali: “In some reports it says ‘the day of Jumu’ah’ and in some reports it says ‘the night of Jumu’ah’. They may be reconciled by saying that what is meant is the day which includes the night and vice versa.” (Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/199)

Not only that, the 10 first verses or last verses of Surah al-Kahf also serves as protection, to any muslims who recites them, against the fitnah of al-Maseeh ad-Dajjal based on the hadeeth related below (excerpt from here):

Abu al-Darda’ (Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said, “Whoever commits ten verses from the beginning Surah al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjal.” [Muslim, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, and others; the wording is Muslim’s]

In a narration in Muslim and Abu Dawud it states, “From the end of Surah al-Kahf.” Tirmidhi related is with the words, “Whoever recites three verses from the beginning of al-Kahf will be protected from the tribulations of the Dajjal.” [Mundhiri, al-Targhib wal Tarhib, #2172-2173]

Imam Shafi`i (Allah have mercy on him) said in his Umm,

“It has reached us that whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Fridays will be protected from the Dajjal.” [Shafi`i, al-Umm, 1.239]

Surah al-Kahf relates four major stories to us:

i- The stories of the Ashabul Kahfi
ii- The stories of two men with two gardens
iii- The stories of Prophet Moses a.s with al-Khidr
iv- The stories of Dhul Qarnayn with Ya’juj wa Ma’juj

All these four stories, if we ponder on them really hard, actually revolves around the main theme of trials. The first story which talks about the believing youths and the disbeliever King who wanted to prosecute them for believing in Islam. This is a story that shows us how faith or religion can be a trial to us. Whereas in the second story, it tells us about how wealth can also become a trial to a person. The story of the two men and the two gardens portrays to us how one can become haughty due to his abundance of wealth and offsprings which finally led him to disbelieve in the Day of Judgement. The story of the Prophet Moses and al-Khidr represents the trial that one can face regarding his/her knowledge and the last story of Dhul-Qarnayn is talking about the trial of power.

It was said the the wisdom behind this surah being revealed as a protection to the fitnah al-Maseeh ad-Dajjal is because Dajjal is the biggest fitnah that will be faced by mankind as mentioned in a hadeeth (excerpt from here):

Imran bin Hussain (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, “Between time of the creation of Adam and the Resurrection Day, there is nothing greater than the mischief of Dajjal (the Antichrist).”[Muslim].

Why is he the biggest fitnah to mankind? It is because the trials that he will inflict upon us will include all four trials that have been mentioned in the stories in Surah al-Kahf. SubhanAllah. I’ve read Surah al-Kahf for so many times but I never thought of it in this light. The stories are diverse indeed but alhamdulillah today, I can see the connections between the stories in the Surah. It is very magnificent, really, to think how Allah SWT has arranged His kalimah in this Holy Book. It truly is a miracle!

The surah not only mentions to us of the trials but it also detail out for us the solutions on how to handle each and every trials, specifically. As for the trial of the religion, one should do his utmost to convey the message of truth, and always be in a company of righteous companions to prevent him from going astray. As for the trials of the wealth, one should always remember that everything in this world that is in one’s possession is only temporary. Only then, the riches and the progeny will not cause one to feel superior and exalted for all that one has accumulated in this world will, sooner or later, perish. One also needs to be humble and not looking down on others, instead one should be eager to learn more from scholars when trialed with knowledge. The manner is shown to us from the etiquette of Prophet Moses a.s when he asked the permission from al-Khidr to join him and to learn from him the knowledge that Allah has taught him. And last but not least, the trial of power. If one were given the authority over an organization or a country, one must act as a righteous leader, call to what is good and forbid the evil and be good towards his/her underlings and make sure that their rights are being fulfilled.

I learned a lot today. InshaAllah, the next time I read Surah al-Kahf, it will not be the same again. This halaqah really opens up my eyes. It really makes me think we should reflect more on the verses of the Qur’an that we recite daily. In fact, we should get closer to the teachers who teach Qur’an for I am sure we can extract more of the ‘juice’ from them then just us contemplating on our own and read the tafseer alone. May Allah blesses us with more beneficial knowledge and may He strengthens us with the will to act upon the knowledge that we have acquired, ameen. That’s all from me today. Till then.